THE USE OF BILINGUAL DISCOURSE MARKERS: IDENTITY IN MEDIATED LEARNING

Abstract

This study looks at the placement of educational television, using Maya & Miguel (PBS), as an example of a tool for mediated learning.  The animated children’s program utilizes codeswitching between English and Spanish in a multicultural setting, with the claim of expanding viewers’ exposure and acceptance of bilingualism and diverse cultural traditions.  Using a corpus analysis of the dialogue, discourse markers are shown to be used by characters to form their social identity within the characters’ relationships on the show.